The King's dinner for the Nobel Laureates

The recipient of the Nobel Prize in Chemistry, Ei-ichi Negishi. Photo: Claudio Bresciani/Scanpix

On Saturday 11 December, The King and Queen hosted the traditional dinner for this year's Nobel Laureates. The guests were received in the customary manner and welcomed by The King and Queen at the Vita Havet assembly rooms, after which the dinner was then held in Karl XI's Gallery at the Royal Palace of Stockholm.

The King escorted Dr Irina Barbolina to the table. The wife of this year's recipient of the Chemistry Prize, Mrs Socorro N. Heck, was seated to The King's left. The Queen was escorted to the table by the recipient of the Literature Prize, Mario Vargas Llosa. The recipient of the Chemistry Prize, Professor Richard F. Heck, was seated to The Queen's right. The recipient of the Physics Prize, Professor Andre Geim, escorted The Crown Princess to the table. The recipient of the Literature Prize, Mario Vargas Llosa, was seated to The Crown Princess's right. Prince Daniel escorted Mrs Socorro N. Heck, wife of this year's recipient of the Chemistry Prize, to the table. Mrs Patricia Llosa Urquidi, wife of this year's recipient of the Literature Prize, was seated to Prince Daniel's left. Prince Carl Philip escorted Dr Irina Grigorieva to the table, and Dr. Irina Barbolina was seated to his left.

Menu

The menu for the evening began with a cognac-fragranced lobster bisque with pilgrim scallop-filled ravioli.The guests were then served roasted zander with herb sauce, poached pak choi and creamy puy lentils with free-range duck's liver. This was followed by pan-fried fillet of venison with mushrooms from the royal hunt with creamed potatoes, white Alba truffles and vegetable millefeuille. The dinner concluded with a chocolate planet with milk chocolate ice cream.

Jewellery and attire

The King wore the Order of the Seraphim's light blue ribbon, decoration and grand star, the Order of Vasa's grand cross and star and the Order of the Polar Star's cross in a black sash around his neck. He also wore four memorial medals of Kings Gustaf V, Gustaf VI Adolf, Haakon VII and Olav V of Norway (miniature badges).The Queen wore a champagne-coloured dress in silk with gold embroidery on tulle. She also wore Queen Sofia's tiara, a brilliant necklace and earrings, and an oval brilliant brooch. The Crown Princess wore a violet draped dress in pure silk crêpe. This was accompanied with the Processional Jewels. In her hair, The Crown Princess wore pearls, diamonds and rubies. Prince Carl Philip and Prince Daniel wore the Order of the Seraphim's light blue ribbon, decoration and grand star. Prince Carl Philip also wore three medals in miniature — The King's Commemorative Medal, the National Service Medal and the Karlberg Medal. Find out more about the Nobel Prize.

More information about the jewellery

Queen Sofia's tiara consists of a band with close-set brilliants and a palmetto pattern surrounded by rows of plants, all bordered by arcs crowned with large brilliant solitaires. The origin of this piece is unknown, and the first time it is mentioned is in an estate inventory following the death of King Karl XV in 1872. It was probably a jewelled comb that was reworked for the then Duchess Sofia. It is likely that it was made in Berlin. Queen Silvia wore it to her first Nobel Banquet in 1976. When Victoria of Baden first arrived in her new home town of Stockholm in 1881, she was given a magnificent necklace by her husband, Crown Prince Gustaf (V). This necklace was built up around 16 Ceylon sapphires set in brilliants. To this were added 31 drops with six sapphires and 25 baroque pearls. Since she received this gift from her new husband on arrival in the Swedish capital, this necklace became known as the Processional Jewels.